Beautiful, young, and wealthy—the quintessential "rich girl" persona online. When encountering such netizens, it was practically mandatory to exclaim, "Rich Madam, this humble one hungers!"
But in reality, most online "rich madams" were fake. Robin never imagined she'd actually meet a genuine one in real life.
Then she paused, thinking, Wait a minute, doesn't that description kind of fit me now? More precisely, it would once her streaming wages and gift revenue were disbursed at the end of the month.
After dinner, Robin checked into a hotel and texted Yu Lin, "I probably won't have time for gaming today or for the next few days."
Yu Lin replied after a while, "Still at work. Even if you're free, Bird Sister, I'm swamped here."
Is she really that busy? Robin raised an eyebrow. Though she was now a member of the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations, she had no idea what they were currently investigating.
Soon, Robin shifted her attention to another group chat.
Free Eagle: "Why didn't Robin stream this afternoon?! No new videos either! I'm suffering!"
Shu Cat: "Didn't I tell you she was probably out?"
Invincible Bro: "are you still hung up on that dream you had?"
"Shu Cat: I'll fuck your brother! Did you hear me? I'll fuck your brother!"
Clearly, Robin had been busy rehearsing with Cheng Hui that afternoon and hadn't had time to stream. Her sudden absence seemed to have upset her fans quite a bit.
Before today, Robin probably wouldn't have cared at all. Just as she ignored the trolls' insults, she paid no attention to her regular fans' feelings.
"Gave them the courage to keep living...?" Robin murmured to herself. She opened the Kuaishou app and posted an update:
[Working on a new song. Livestreaming will be paused for the next few days.]
When she switched back to the group chat, she noticed an unfamiliar face had joined the conversation.
Today I Want to Eat Soup Dumplings: Stop squabbling! I've been working all day and finally managed to make one. Here, take a look.
Today I Want to Eat Soup Dumplings: [Image].jpg
In a group chat with fewer than two hundred members, it was normal for only a handful to be active. So when Robin saw the newcomer's message, her first thought was, "Oh? A new face?"
Then she realized that the person who had posted the image was the group owner, and it suddenly dawned on her that she had joined a doujinshi group.
Naturally, the image posted by the group owner featured Robin—her own "lewd art."
The image depicted the "protagonist" sitting on a bed, removing her shoes. While there was no explicit nudity, the slender calves and exquisitely rendered smooth feet, positioned prominently in the center of the frame, exuded undeniable allure.
Clearly, the group owner was likely a foot fetishist.
Robin glanced at the picture, then lowered her gaze to examine her own feet.
Her five dainty toes were petite and delicate, their pearly white nails adorned with specks of deep blue, creating a strikingly beautiful sight.
Unsurprisingly, Robin's assessment of the lewd art was: "Meh, the real thing is better."
But perhaps only she could offer such a critique.
The other group members reacted wildly:
Shu Cat: "Holy shit, this is amazing! Group owner, I fucking love you!"
Invincible Bro: "Legendary!"
Free Eagle: "Ugh, meh, it's alright. My heart remains utterly unmoved."
Today I Want to Eat Soup Dumplings: "?"
Shu Cat: "Wait, how are you so fast? It's only been a few seconds—you're way too quick!"
-
The next morning, after breakfast, Robin arrived at the Photography studio. Even before she got close, she spotted Cheng Hui, already dressed in a red Hanfu, standing outside the door, looking like she had been waiting for a while.
The moment Cheng Hui saw Robin, she scurried over, grabbed her hand, and pulled her inside. "Hurry, hurry! We've been waiting for you!"
Over half an hour later, Robin emerged wearing an elegant, light-colored Hanfu. With the stylist's help, she applied minimal makeup and had her hair styled into an ancient updo called the Peach Heart Bun.
She touched the hairpin at the back of her head, her expression stiff as she faced the camera. "So... we're starting now?"
"Perfect timing! The lighting is excellent, and we're right on schedule," the Videographer encouraged. "Let's go, Miss Robin! Just match your average performance from yesterday, and you'll be fine!"
Cheng Hui settled at the decorated piano, positioned so the camera could capture both of them fully. Previously, she had always insisted on remaining anonymous, but seizing this rare opportunity, she broke her own rule and chose to appear alongside Robin.
Cheng Hui gently tested the sound and declared, "I'm ready. We can start anytime."
"I'll start now," Robin said, taking a deep breath. Clutching the microphone, she began to sing softly, accompanied by the piano.
Actually, after returning to the inn yesterday, amidst chatting and joking with her online friends, she had squeezed in some extra practice. She rehearsed the song several times, firmly memorizing the lyrics.
It's worth noting that Robin couldn't simply stand frozen like a zombie in a full-body singing video. But she also didn't know what else to do. So, last night, she watched countless similar videos and came to a conclusion:
There was no conclusion. She didn't need to force any specific actions. All she had to do was relax. She could sway gently to the rhythm, take a few steps occasionally, switch the microphone between hands—anything went.
In reality, this was just supposed to be a "trial run," like filming a movie where no one expects perfection on the first take. But when the song ended, everyone was stunned into silence.
The piano accompaniment was flawless, its delicate notes flowing out smoothly, gentle yet clear, soothing yet captivating. Heaven only knew how hard Cheng Hui had practiced privately, how many times she had rehearsed.
Robin's singing was flawless. Despite her initial nervousness, once the music began, she transformed into a natural performer, as if born for the stage. Her performance could only be described as perfect.
The duo's synergy was impeccable, like that of seasoned partners who had been playing together for years. Their performance flowed seamlessly, as if it were second nature.
The cameraman stared dumbfounded at Robin, transfixed as if gazing at the brightest star in the night sky. His jaw hung so wide open an egg could fit inside, and he remained speechless for a long moment.
Only when Robin lowered the microphone and softly asked, "How was it?" did the Videographer snap out of his daze and stop recording. "I... I can't even describe it," he stammered. "If I hadn't been so mesmerized, I think we could have uploaded that video directly."
"But it's fine. We can edit it in post-production. I think it was already perfect—no need for a second take."